Welcome to the Ferris State University School of Criminal Justice web page.

Thank you for taking time to review our web page. Ferris State’s founder Woodbridge
N. Ferris, established the institution as a place of opportunity and a place where
someone can be well trained to enter a profession. In the School of Criminal Justice
we follow that tradition and have established a school where opportunity can become
reality. This year the School celebrates its 39th year of providing quality education
for careers in criminal justice.

Our faculty is composed of professionals from multiple fields within Criminal Justice:

Two attorneys

Four retired lieutenants, retired Under Sheriff, and Detective

Corrections

Private security

Juvenile probation

Certified police officers who still patrol the streets of Michigan

Not only does the faculty have a vast amount of professional experience, but they
focus/concentrate on problem-based teaching and learning. Additionally, the faculty
are actively involved in research dedicated to multiple topics including police ethics,
date-rape, job satisfaction, and private security.

Our classes are small, 25-30 students, allowing faculty to focus on the student and
provide for student needs. All classrooms are “smart classrooms” that utilize the
most contemporary technology. Faculty use on-line techniques as well as web pages
to enhance teaching strategies.

The program provides three options:

Students in the law enforcement option can use their senior year to attend our police
academy. After completing the academy, students graduate with a Bachelor’s of Science
degree and are also certifiable, allowing them to become police officers in the State
of Michigan. This program is completely sanctioned by the Michigan Commission on Law
Enforcement Standards (MCOLES)

Our corrections option offers certification through the Michigan Corrections Officer
Training Council (MCOTC) and may lead to positions as probation or parole officers,
juvenile probation officers, or corrections officers.

The generalist track allows for in-depth exposure to many segments of the criminal
justice profession. Graduates in this option seek positions in federal service (i.e.
Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security, U. S. Marshalls, Customs, and
Border Patrol), attend law school or pursue other positions in the criminal justice
career field.

Our legacy reaches far in all facets of the criminal justice profession. We have former
lawyers from our program, supervisors and administrators in the Probation & Parole
field and law enforcement officers in state, local and federal agencies. Chiefs of
Police, command officers and even the recently retired Deputy Director of the Federal
Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are former Ferris graduates. There is hardly a police
agency in the State of Michigan that does not have a Ferris alum within their ranks.

Again, thanks for visiting our web page. If you have any questions, I encourage you
to call our office at (231) 591-5080 or register for one of our “Dawg Days” where
we can meet and talk in person about our programs.